Author: The Nation

Worried over the rate of abuse of children, especially girls at different motor parks nationwide, Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen has called for drastic action against what she described as a bad menace. 
She spoke in Abuja at the 10th National Delegate Conference of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN).
Tallen charged the leadership of the association to enlighten its members by mounting graphics on GBV around parks.
She said: “When I sometimes visit parks in the company of family, I still see young children; girls and boys hawking when they should be in school. Yet, your members turn blind eyes to such scenarios.
In some cases, these children become victims of exploitation and abuse, and because they are powerless, they have no voice and are afraid to report and so the cycle of abuse continues.
“Even women have reported such abuses in the parks”.
While delivering his acceptance speech after he was unanimously adopted as the RTEAN’s 10th National President, Musa Muhammed, urged President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prioritize the transportation sector as it: “creates employment and direct the economy”.
In a similar development, RTEAN in collaboration with Wema Bank and Digix Technologies also launched a technology to provide a hitch-free transportation system for Nigerians.

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Muhammed, represented by the RTEAN’s Deputy National President (Administration), Muhammad Abubakar Bishara, said the technology named, ‘Karrygo’, was in line with the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Muhammed said the programme, during implementation, would put in check issues of insecurity, as all information about the travellers’ final destinations would have been collated from the digital manifest generated in the cause of processing their payment for the journey.
He said: “We hope that when this programme comes into full implementation, a lot more sanity would have been enthroned in the road transport sector in Nigeria. 
“After this official launching, all our members across the country will be properly trained on what should be done to achieve greater results. This is because we need personnel and men to handle the equipment to be used. For instance, non-internet P.O.S, which will function without a network, because of those in the remote areas”.

Confusion is trailing the governorship primary of the Labour Party (LP) in Imo State as three factions on Saturday held the party’s gubernatorial primary election in different locations in the state.

It was learnt that about 10 of the aspirants settled for the Landmark Event Centre at New Owerri with their delegates for the election while three other aspirants held their elections differently along MCC Road, Urrata in Owerri North Local Government Area.

It was gathered that the Presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi, who is the screening committee chairman for the state congress election of the party is said to have allegedly identified with one of the factions.

Among those who are eyeing the Labour Party governorship ticket and have secured the Nomination Forms are Major General Lincoln Jack Ogunewe (retd), Senator Athan Achonu, Martin Agbaso and Chief Joseph Ukaegbu.

Others are Tochi J.Ehirim, Ike Ibe, Kelechi Nwagwu, Basil Maduka, Chinedu Amadi, AIG Charles Agomuo (retd), Capt David Mbamara (retd), Fabian Ihekueme and Chief C. Ishiguzo.

Law enforcement agents have arrested three persons in Kebbi State for allegedly being in possession of 71 suspected cloned Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).

The trio was arrested at about 8am at Badariya Village, Badariya Magarza Ward, Kalgo Local Government Area (LGA) by a joint security team acting on a tip off.

The suspects are yet to be named.

The Nation learnt that suspects alongside the recovered exhibits are in Police custody for further investigation.

Photo: One of the suspects and the exhibits in police custody

Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Olukayode Ariwoola, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) and former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), Prof Epiphany Azinge (SAN) are among dignitaries expected at events to mark the centenary of former Justice of the Supreme Court, the late Chukwunweike Idigbe.

Nnamdi Oragwu, Partner and Head of Litigation at PUNUKA Attorneys & Solicitors, a firm founded by late Justice Idigbe, said in a statement that the 100th anniversary events will be year-long.

“Our late founder served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria from 1964 to 1967 and from 1975 to 1983.

“He is remembered as a distinguished jurist, a fearless advocate for justice, and a champion of the rule of law. 

“He was renowned for his landmark judgments, which continue to shape the legal landscape of Nigeria to this day.

“Justice Idigbe epitomises the gold standard of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, several of his decisions remain a major point of reference in present day cases,” the statement said.

On May 3, Chief Justice Ariwoola will launch the Justice Idigbe Faculty of Law in Veritas University in Abuja.

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The Justice Idigbe Symposium, to be held on May 4, will feature frontburner discussions on landmark judgments of Justice Idigbe and his impact on present-day jurisprudence.

The speakers include Minister of Works Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Prof Abiola Sanni (SAN), Prof Obiora Okafor, Maikyau and Prof Azinge.

The keynote speaker, Mr Ekong Sampson, will speak on “The Life and Legacy of Honourable Justice Idigbe – 100 years of a Gold Standard for Judges in Nigeria.”

Oragwu, Chairman of the 100 Years of Justice Idigbe Planning Committee, said the firm will be celebrating Justice Idigbe’s life and legacy with six major events.

At the commissioning of Justice Idigbe Faculty of Law in Veritas University on May 3, Justice Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Mr Cosmas Enweluzo (SAN) and C.V.C. Ihekweazu (SAN) will also be speaking.

Other events include the commissioning of Punuka Childcare Centre by the Punuka Foundation on July 30, 2023 in Lagos.

A Public Lecture/ Valedictory Court Session will hold in Asaba, Delta State, on August 11, 2023 and will feature the commissioning of Justice Idigbe NBA ICT Centre.

The following day, a thanksgiving mass and commissioning of Justice Idigbe Museum, Library and Youth Centre will be held in Asaba.

The events will culminate with the commissioning of PUNUKA Attorneys and Solicitor’s new head office in Lagos on December 7, 2023.

Ms. Isioma Idigbe, Partner and Head of Media, Entertainment, Intellectual Property and technology Law, Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors added: “These events are designed to celebrate and immortalise the contributions of late Justice Idigbe

to the development of the legal profession in Nigeria, and to inspire the next generation of legal professionals.

“This is a time of celebration and reflection. 

“Whilst we honour and edify the heritage he left us, we must reflect on whether our lives and practice of the law are in step with his values of excellence, thoroughness, knowledge, diligence and justice which were things that made him one of the greatest legal minds Nigeria has ever seen.”

The MAN Justice Idigbe

Justice Idigbe was a distinguished Nigerian jurist who practiced law all over West Africa from Warri from 1947 to 1961 and served as a judge in the then Eastern Region of Nigeria High Court and Chief Justice of Midwest Region of Nigeria rising to the position of Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. 

He was born on August 12, 1923, at Kaduna, Nigeria, the fourth (and only surviving) child of Alexander Ahudinma and his wife, Madam Christiana Idigbe.

Chike, as he was fondly called, began his education at St. Mary’s Catholic Mission, Port Harcourt, at the age of six. 

He later gained admission to Christ the King College, Onitsha, in 1937. 

In 1943, he passed the Cambridge examination in Division One and obtained an exemption from the London Matriculation Examination. 

He had planned to study engineering in London but suddenly and in an interesting manner changed his mind to study law and was admitted to study law at King’s College, University of Cambridge. 

He finished brilliantly from King’s College, obtaining a Second-Class Upper Division Grade in his LLB in 1946 and winning the much-coveted Forster-Campbell Prize in Criminal Law. 

He was also one of the first four Nigerians to pass the Cambridge University Law examination with honours- the others being Dr. T.O. Elias (former Attorney General of the Federation and Chief Justice of Nigeria), Dr. G.B.A. Coker, and Gabriel Onyuike QC, SAN.

Being the first lawyer in the Asaba Division and the then Benin Province, in 1947, upon his return to Nigeria, he was welcomed in grandeur. 

He was admitted to to the Nigerian Bar later that year. 

He settled in Warri, where he established his law office PUNUKA Chambers (named after his great-great-grandfather Obi Idigbe, who was married to one ‘Onye Punuka’) with the famous Sierra-Leonean lawyer Nelson Williams.

In 1961, he was appointed a Judge of the Eastern Nigeria High Court, and in 1964, he was elevated to the position of Justice of the Supreme Court. 

From 1964-1967, he served concurrently as the Chief Justice of the newly created Mid-Western region before he ceased to be a Nigerian judge as a result of the Civil War.

In 1972, he joined Irving and Bonnar, the oldest law firm in Nigeria as a partner, and three years later in 1975, he was re-appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. 

He shared the Supreme Court bench with notable Justices such as William Algernon Holwell Duffus, Edger Ignatius G. Unsworth, John Idowu Conrad Taylor, Vahe Robert Bairamian, Eugene O. Adeyinka Morgan, Louis Nwachukwu Mbanefo, Michael Oguejiofo Ajegbo, George Baptist A. Coker, Charles Dadi Onyeama, Ian Lewis, Atanda Fatai-Williams (CJN), Udo Udoma, Taslim Olawale Elias (CJN), George Sodeinde Sowemimo (CJN), Dan Ibekwe, Darnley Arthur R. Alexander (CJN), Mahman Nasir, Muhammed Bello (CJN), Charles Olusoji Madarikan, Andrew Otutu Obaseki, Anthony Nnaemezie Aniagolu, Buba Ardo, Kayode Eso, Augustine Nnamani, and Muhammadu Lawal Uwais (CJN).

During his tenure on the Bench, he delivered the lead judgements in several landmark cases amongst which are: Bucknor-Maclean & Anor vs Inlaks Limited, Shitta-Bey vs Federal Public Service Commission, Arase vs Arase, Balogun vs National Bank, Usoro vs Shell Petroleum Development Co., Atiti Gold vs Beatrice Osaseren, Mutual Aids Society vs Akerele amongst others. 

He also served as chairman of the land use committee set up to review the land tenure system in Nigeria. 

He was the recipient of two national honours: Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR) and Commander of the Niger (CON). 

Justice Idigbe was also a traditional Chief (Olinzele) of Asaba and held the highly coveted title of Izoma of Asaba as a man of the people.

He was happily married and blessed with children, amongst whom are: Mr. Victor Idigbe, Mr. Jude Obioha Idigbe Esq, Mrs. Uche Idigbe, Chief (Dr) Anthony Ikemefuna Idigbe (SAN), Mr. Amaechi Felix Idigbe, Mr. Ifeanyi Paul Idigbe (late). 

He passed away on July 31, 1983, at the Cromwell Hospital in London, just a few days short of his 60th birthday and anticipated appointment as the Chief Justice of Nigeria. 

He was a remarkable jurist and a trailblazer in his field, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire generations of legal practitioners in Nigeria and beyond.

The Afenifere Renewal Group in the United States of America (ARG-USA) has congratulated President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his electoral victory at the February 25 poll.

It condemned calls for an Interim National Government (ING) and urged Tinubu to unite the country by forming a government of national unity.

The group, in a statement by ARG-USA’s Publicity Secretary Lanre Balogun, described Tinubu’s victory as a testament to his dedication to Nigerians and steadfast commitment to building a better and more prosperous nation for all.

It said following the elections, it was time for the country to “reflect and heal.”

“As President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu begins to assemble his team, we urge him and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), to extend a hand of fellowship across political, regional, and religious lines to unite the country and form an inclusive government based on fairness and competence.

“We believe that Tinubu’s presidency presents a unique opportunity for the Southwestern Nigeria governors to work with the new administration, and implement the Developmental Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) to restore the past glory of Yorubaland.

Read Also : How unity can return to Afenifere, by Oduyoye

“We strongly condemn the recent calls to establish an interim government in Nigeria, thereby truncating the democratic process and undermining the will of the people”.

ARG-USA said it believed in the peaceful transition of power as a key tenet of democracy. It warned that any attempt to circumvent the democratic process through illegitimate means would be opposed.

“We also call on the international community to remain vigilant and monitor the situation closely. Any attempt to undermine democracy in Nigeria will have far-reaching consequences, not just for the country, but for the entire region and the world at large.” ARG-USA further stated.

The US-based group also condemned acts of violence against voters across the country and urged the incoming administration to protect democracy by addressing electoral violence, intimidation, and other obstacles voters encountered during the elections.

ARG reiterated its commitment to promoting democracy, good governance, and the rule of law in Nigeria.

“We call on all Nigerians to uphold these values and work together to build a brighter future for our great country. With Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as our President, our hopes are renewed, and we are optimistic that better days will come,” it added.

Massive vote-buying characterised Saturday’s Ogbaru Federal Constituency supplementary election in Anambra State.

Three of the leading political parties in the election also reportedly unleashed thugs in various parts of the local government where the poll was being conducted.

The leading candidates in the election and their political parties are Afam Ogene of the Labour Party (LP), Chuchu Onyema of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Arinze Awogu of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Many voting centres visited by our correspondent within the local government witnessed a huge influx of thugs amidst the massive deployment of security officials, including the police, navy and army personnel.

Journalists covering the exercise were reportedly attacked at Manus Primary School, Okpoko Ward 6, by suspected thugs.

“The suspected thugs, working for one of the candidates in the election, swooped on the reporters who rode in a vehicle with government number plate, suspecting them to be agents of the ruling party, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA,” a source said.

Read Also : Soludo debunks N3.5b vote buying allegation 

Also, at Okpoko Ward 3, polling unit 004 at St Luke’s Anglican Church, agents of the PDP and APGA were seen in their camps, where they were making payments to voters who voted for their parties.

Canvassers of one of the parties mistook a journalist, Sunny Davis, for a voter who fixed him on the queue for payment, following his agreement to inquiries from the agents that he voted for their party.